Can-closing machine



P. W. FLEISCHER CAN CLOSING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED 020,6. 19x5.

Patented Feb. 10,1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

. RN NM P. W. FLEISCHER.

CAN CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC16.19I5.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witness attorney! P. W. FLEISCHERJ CAN CLOSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5 19'15.

Patented Feb. 10,1920.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- 3mm v fizzlhfflezmei' CZ z/ua UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL W. FLEISCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, A

' CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-CLOSING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10,1920.

Original application filed December 1, 1915, Serial No. 64,494. Divided and this application filed December To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL W. FLEIsonER, -a citizen of the United States, residing 1n New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can-Closing Machines, of which the following isa specification. The invention relates to canclosing machines, and has for its object to enable these machines to be operated successfully by persons who are not skilled, or who are occasionally careless, by automatically preventing the breakage of or injury to those parts of the machine, and their actuating connections. which feed the can ends. It is desired. vto drive these machines with high power and at comparatvely fast speed, and in case a can end which enters the machine is, through accident or carelessness, not of the size or formation on which the machine has been adjusted to operate, or in case such can end is not properly positioned by reason of an unskilful or hasty adjustment of some part of the machine, the mechanism may become ammed and the machine stopped against the full power of the prime motor. The result of this condition is or may be quite serious, requiring the operation of packing (can closing) to be suspended, with loss of time and material, until a broken or injured essential part of the mechanism can be replaced or repaired.

According to the present improvement the machine is made to a material extent automatically proof against such accidents by providing the can end feeding mechanism with ayielding friction driverwhich overcomes all of the resistance due to the ordinary and .desired operation of said feeding mechanism, but which will yield inthe case of unusual obstruction or resistance and allow the can end feed devices to come safely to rest, while the prime motor, and main power shaft or elements of the machine driven thereby, may continue to operate until the power is disconnected. A deformed or obstructing can end may then be removed, the adjustment of the machine perfected if necessary, and the packing operation can be continued with the minimum loss of time.

There are advantages in applying such an automatically releasing drive element to the cam shaft which actuatesmost of the sub- 6, 1915. "Serial No. 65,246.

comprises means whereby it is controlled by.

the can which is to be closed; and when the said releasing drive element is applied to the cam shaft it must be constructed to transmit very considerable power before it-will yield, and it cannot readily be made to yield by an obstruction in the comparatively weak and delicate can end feed mechanism.

With such objects in view, as well as the attainment of all other features of usefulness and advantage which are inherent inthe improved can closing machine, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements, in their useful applications, to the particular construction,

Fig. t is a vertical cross section .on line rear of the machine, showing the yieldable driver or power connection for the can feed mechanism.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a portion of the machine looking in the direction of the can end feed illustrating the vertical adjustend ability of the seaming head casing and can end feed bracket.

Referring to the drawings z from which most of the frame parts have been omitted for clearer illustration, 87 is the seaming head under which the filled and open top cans are fed by a continuously moving chain 52. 8% is a. lifter which successively raises the cans through a centering device 252 to receive a can end over its top and be presented to the seaming head. 257 is a slide which delivers the can ends from under a stack holder-251 over the said centering device. drives the feed chain sprocket 50 by a chain 57, the lifter by a cam and yoke lever, and the slide 257 by an eccentric 318. H3 is a vertical hollow shaft which rotates the seaming head and parallel with which the latter is vertically adjustable. The shafts 59 and 113 may be driven by any appropriate mechanism.

The fralne 1 of the n1achine, extemls upwardly and has vertically slidably mounted upon the front face thereof a seaming head casing 131. This casing overhangs the table 21 and is provided with vertical flanges 132 adjacent the frame 1 which are retained against the same by vertical guide'memliiers 133 adjustably secured to the fame 1 by lock bolts 134, which normally bind the casing 131 against the frame 1 and hold the same securely against vertical displacement. Secured to the top of the casing 131 is a vertical adjusting non-rotary shaft 135 which extends upwardly along the face of the frame 1 and is supported at its upper end by the hub of an adjusting hand wheel 136 which is threaded onto the said shaft and rests upon a bifurcated and outwardly projecting supporting lug 137. When it becomes necessary to raise or lower the seaming head to accommodate cans of a different size (height) the locking bolts 131 are loosened permitting the casing 131 to be raised or lowered as the case may be by the hand adjustingwheel 136 carrying with it the seaming head and its actuating gearing.

Secured at one end to the under side of the seaming head casing 131 and extending outwardly therefrom and overhanging the main conveying table 21 of the machine, is a can end feed bracket 250. This bracket has a channel or track 251 machined in its upper face which corresponds in shape in cross section to the cross section of a can end so that the top surface of a can end be ing conveyed along the said track will be flush with the surface of the bracket 250. The track 251 extends inwardly and 'tQllTllnates in a circular aperture in the bracket 250 axially beneath the seaming head 87 and over the can lifter 84. The can end is deposited over this aperture by a feeding mechanism presently to be deis elevated to the seaming 59 is a main vertical cam shaft which scribed, and there awaits the can bodv as it rises under the action of the can lifter 51, being of a larger diameter before seaming than the said aperture. Said aperture forms a centering device for the can as it head, being flared or beveled at the. under side of the bracket, as shown at 252 (Fig. I). Secured to the bracket 2.30 and above the track 251 is a casing or cover 2.33. which forms the support for a can end stack holder 25 t. the lattcr being located above the outermost end of the track or channel 2.31. The casing 2.' I- beneath the can end holder 234. has a circular aperture 25 therein to permit the can ends to descend vertically from. the holder 25-1 to the track 251 and into position to have the lowermost one separated from the stack and conveyed along the said track to the marking device which will be described later. In the bracket 250 and sub stautially in the center of the track 251 is a longitudinal slot or passageway 255 which extends down through the bracket and the sides of which are horizontally recessed as at 23c and form the su )porting and uiding means fora reciprocating slide 254, the sides of which are so shaped as to engage within the horizontal recesses 25b, The slide 257 is preferably formed in two parts. a lower and longer linger bar and an upper and shorter carrier bar 255). livotcd to the inner extremity of the finger bar 256 is a can end engaging finger 260 which extends upwardly above the surface of the track 251 and in the path of the can ends.

This finger is normally held in its upward and en gaging position by a leaf spring 261 which bears against an outwardly project ing lug 262 on the finger 260. The inner and can end engaging shoulder 264 of the carrier bar is provided with a steel fin 265 which extends inwardly slightly and projects over the can end when the latter is engaged and serves to some extent to assist in. separating the lowermost one of the nested can ends from the stack prior to extracting it from beneath the stack and conveying it to the marking device.

Mounted upon the bracket 250 upon an eccentric adjusting pivot 2G6 and located at one side of the passageway is a lever 267 one end of which carries a can end separating knife 268 while the other end thereof carries a roller 269 which bears against the edge of the carrier bar 259, and coacts with a recess 270, in the form of a cam or inclined surface 271. in the latter. The roller 269 is yieldably held against the side of the carrier bar 259 by a spring 272, one end of which is attached to the inner end of the lever 207 and the other end thereof secured to the bracket 250. It will be seen that when the slide 257 is moved to its outermost position the roller 269 under the action marking device.

of the spring 272 will engage in the recess 270 in the carrier bar 259, allowing the separating knife 258 to move laterally from beneath the stack of nested'can ends and permitting the same to descend and rest upon the track 251. \Vhen, however, the slide 257 commences to move inwardly along its guideway, the cam surface 271 will engage the roller 20%) and force the same out of the recess 270 until it bears against the straight side of the. carrier bar 259. This outward movement of the roller 269 overcomes the spring 272 and turns the lever 267 about its pivot, causing the separating knife 268 to enter between the edges of the can ends in the stack and above the bottom one, cutting out the latter from its nested position and at the same time lifting the remainder of the stack and supporting the same clear of the carrier bar 25!) as it conveys a single can end so separated along the track to the Located in the bracket 250 and at a point midway between the can end feeding and seaming stations, and extending at right angles to the t ack 251. is or may be a can end marking device denoted as a whole by the numeral 273.

Secured to the under side of the seaming head casing 131 and extending outwardly therefrom is a can end feed leter bracket 324 terminating in a vertical bearing Suspended beneath this hearing is a can end feed lever 326 which is supported by a stud shaft 327 which is integral therewith and Which extends upwardly and' is journaled in the said bearing 325 (Fig. 4). The'can end feed lever 326 is preferably of inverted channel bar form and forms a housing 328 for a can end feed lever arm 329. This arm 329 is pivoted as indicated at 330 between the flanges of the housing 328; The lever arm 329 is normally held in a raised position by a coiled spring 331 located near the inner or rear end of the lever arm. The upward movement of the outer extremity of the said lever arm 329 is regulated by a set screw 332 in the lever arm housing 328. The said lever arm 329 extends outwardly and beneath the can end feed bracket 250 and feed slide, engaging two pins 333 and 33% (Figs. 4. and 5) located on the under side of the finger bar 258 and which project downwardly therefrom upon each side of the lever arm 329. The forward pin 334 is slightly shorter than the rear pin 333 and is beveled as indicated at 335. It will be apparent that when the lever arm 329 moves forward toward the seaming station it will engage the shorter pm 334 thereby causlng the slide 257 to move forward, and upon the backward movement of the said arm 329 the same, will engage the longer pin 333 and cause the slide 257 to move rearwardly and into position to extract another can end from beneath the stack.

It will be apparent that as the slide 257 is reciprocated the shoulder 26% of the carrier bar 2.3!) will extract the separated can end from beneath the stack and convey it along the track 251 to the marker 273. where it is deposited and left between the stamping dies of the same. The slide then returns and upon its next forward stroke the finger 260 of the linger bar 2.33 will remove the can end previously deposited in the marker and stamped. from the said marker and carry it to the centering device where it is deposited over the aperture 252 and in position to be engaged by a can body and seamed thereon. 'hile the finger bar 258 has been removing the stamped can end from the marker to the seaming head. the carrier bar has extracted another can end from be neath the stack and deposited it in the marker where it has been stamped and is waiting to be delivered to the seaming head by the finger bar. By this method there is a constant and successive feeding of marked can ends to the seaming station without the loss of time.

In order to prevent the can end from riding baclnvard out of the marker. upon the carrier car 258 on the backward stroke of the same and after the can end has once been deposited there by the said carrier bar 259. there is provided in the 'asing 2.33 and adjacent the marker 273 a pin 336. This pin projects downwardly through the casing 253 and has its lower end beveled as at 337. The upper end of the pin 33o engages a leaf spring 338 (Fig. 1) which serves to vieldably hold the said pin in its downward and can end engaging position. While a can end is conveyed into the marker by the carrier .bar 259 it engages the beveled surface 337 of the pin 336 forcing the latter upward and allowing the can end to pass beneath. But upon the rearward stroke of the carrier bar the can end engages the straight edge of the pin 336 and is thus prevented from moving rearwardly out of the marker.

The wearing surfaces of: the bearing 32."; are protected by a tubular bushing 33$) having at its upper extremity a collar 3l0 which forms a bearing surface for a lever latch arm 341 which is mounted upon the upper end of the stud shaft 327. The lever 326 and its shaft 327 are supported in the hearing 325 by a washer 342, which is secured by a screw 343 to the upper end of the stud shaft 327 and rests upon the latch arm 311. Pivoted to the outer end of the said latch arm 341 by a. pivot pin 34% is an eccentric rod connection 345 into which is threaded an eccentric rod 3&6. The said eccentric rod extends across the machine and is secured to an'eccentric strap 3l7 which passes around an eccentric 348 fixed upon the vertical cam shaft Beneath the latch arm 3&1 and preferably integral therewith is a down wardly extending web or flange 349 which terminates in a latch housing 350. Vertically slidably mounted within the said hous- I hold the latch 351 in'engagement with a recess 356 designed to receive it in a plate 357 of hardened steel secured to the lever arm The upper end of the latch rod 353 is notched as at 358 to receive the edge of a latch stop 359 pivoted on the upper the latch arm 341. \Vhen the latch 351 is normally in engagement with the recess 356, the said notch 358 is below the surface of the latch arm 341 and out of engagement with the latch stop 359. It will be apparent that under the normal strain of operating the machine the pressure of the spring 355 will suffice to keep the latch 351 in engagement with the recess 356, and in consequence the latch arm 341 and the lever arm 329 will be oscillated as a unit by the eccentric 348. But should anything break or become clogged or jammed in the mechanism of the machine the unusual strain caused thereby will cause the latch 351 to be forced out ot' its engagin recess 356, at the same time raising the atch rod 353 enough to brm g the notch 358 into alinement with the latch stop 359, which will instantly, under the pressure of a leaf spring 360 engage the said notch, preventing the latch 351 from again registering with its recess 356, from which it results that the eccentric 348 will oscillate only the latch arm 341 without operating the lever arm 329. This will continue until the obstruction in the machine is removed or the power turned off. \Vhen it is desired -to again operate the machine, the stop is released, allowing the latch under the action of the spring 355 to return to its normal engagement with the recess 356, causing the disconnected parts to again oscillate as a unit and operating the slide 257.

Pivoted to the under side of the bracket 324 is a can end feed index lever 361 (Fig. 5) having along arm 362 and a short arm 363 extending at substantially right angles to each other. The arm 362 extends outwardly and over the lever arm housing 328 and is provided on its under side and at its outer end with a cam 364. This cam engages a pin 365 projecting vertically from the lever arm 329 through an aperture 366 in the lever arm housing 328 and tends to @outer end of the said normally depressth lever arm and hold the same out of engageside of" ment with the forward and shorter pin 334 in the finger bar Secured to the arm 363 of the said index lever 361 is a connecting rod 367 which extends across the machine beneath the seaming head casing 131, and which is held up in a horizontal position by a guiding support 367 attached to said casing.

Mounted upon the table near the receiving end thereof and adjacent the path of the cans passing to the seaming station is a bracket 368 in which is mounted a vertical stud shaft 369, which is integral with a can-controlled trip lever 370 which rests upon the table 21 and which projects across the path of the cans beneath the can guides and which is actuated by the passing cans.

Adjustably mounted by means of a clamp bolt 371 upon the stud shaft 369 and below the bracket 363 is a vertical lever arm 372 which engages a notch 373 in an arm connection 374 to which is secured the end of the connecting rod 367. It will be apparent that through this construction the lever arm 32.) will normally o.--.cillate to and fro without reciprocating the slide 257, but as soon as a can body passing along its track engages the trip lever 370, it will force the same inward (Fig. 2) thereby throwing the vertical lever'372about its pivot, causing the arm 362 of the cam lever 361, through the medium of the connecting rod 367, to be moved from its engaging position above the pin 365 in the can and feed arm 320 (Fig. 5) allowing the same to rise under the action of the coiled spring 331 to its engaging position with the short pin 334 in the finger bar which can then be moved forward by the arm 329. When the arm reaches a point near the limit of its throw, the housing 328 will engage a set screw 375 mounted in a downward projecting lug 376 on the under side of the can end feed lever 361, causing the latter to be rotated about its pivot and causing the longer arm 362 thereof to again be moved back to its normal position over the path of the pin 365. Now when the can end feed lever arm 329 returns on its backward movement the pin 365 will engage under the cam 364 on the lever arm 362 causing the lever arm 329 to be depressed out of engagement with the shorter pin 334 on the finger. bar 258. The arm will continue to oscillate about its pivot (supposing the feeding of cans to be interrupted) being depressed each time when it reaches a point near the limit of its backward movement. This will continue without any actuation of the can end feed slide until another can actuates the can-controlled trip lever 370 causing the arm 362 and its cam 364 to be thrown out of the path of the pin 365. It will be noticed that the lever arm 329 is not depressed low enough to prevent it from engaging the longer pin 333 on the finger bar 258, which pin is only encountered by the lever arm 329 on its return or backward movement and which is designed only to return the slide 257 to its outward position. It will also be noticed that the can end feed mechanism is thrown into operation by each individual can as it actuates the can-controlled lever and is thrown out of engagement as soon as a can end is fed to the seaming station; and if a can body is not in position to'be closed a can end will not be fed to the seaming station.

By seaming head I include various can end attaching means. Such means may be a clencher which crimps the head loosely on to a can, all around the circumference or in spots. Also, when the seaming head is used, only the first operation or curling roll may be put in operation, the complete hermetic seaming by the second operation being done by any suitable means after processing the filled and partly or loosely closed can; and the words .closing machine are not limited to a machine which hermetically closes the cans.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 643%, filed Dec. 1, 1915.

\Yhat is claimed is 1. In a can closing machine, adapted to unite can ends to can bodies by an inter-. folded seam or joint, comprising aseaming head; a centering and rounding up member; a track along which cans are moved; a can end feed station and feed mechanism; means for operating the feed mechanism; a movable can end feed controlling member normally protruding into the path along which cans are moved; a connection between said feed controlling member and said -can end feed mechanism whereby said feed mechanism operates to feed a can end each time said controlling member is moved by an advancing can, and means on said operating mechanism tor resetting said c. )ntrolling member to again intercept the calls as they are moved along the said path.

In a can closing machine in combination; a can conveyor, a can end feeding mechanism. means for operating the. feeding mechanism, a can end feed cont-rolling arm intercepting the path of the cans: a connection between the said arm and feed mechanism whereby as the arm is moved by an advancing can, the feed mechanism operates to feed a can end, means connected with the operating means which at the same time restores the said arm to its normal position in the path of the cans.

3. In a can closing machine, in combina; tion: a can end feeding mechanism comprising atrack and slide; a transverse vertically movable pivoted lever engageable with said slide; a horizontally movable lever in which is mounted the pivot of the slide-engaging lever; means for actuating the horizontally movable lever; and can controlled means for moving the slide-engaging lever vertically.

-l-. In a can closing machine, in combina-.

mechanism; means for adjusting said can end feeding mechanism vertically relative to said conveyor; and a connection from the can end feed mechanism to said can controlled arm having means whereby it may be vertically adjusted while still connected with said arm. said connection having means for throwing into operation the can end feed mechanism.

6. In a can closing machine, in combina tion: a seaming head; a bottom plunger cooperating therewith: a can centering device interposed between the said seaming head and bottom plunger: a can end track leading to said centering device: can end feed mechanism arran ed to deliver can ends along said track to said cel'itering device: and a. frictional yieldable latch for actuatin said can end feed mechanism.

I. In a can closing machine, in combination:a seaming head; a bottom plunger cooperating therewith; a can centering device interposed between the said seaming head and bottom plunger; a can end track leading to said centering device; can end feed mechanism arranged to deliver can ends along said track to said centering device: and a frictional yieldable latch for actuating said can end feed mechanism, comprising a friction, springactuated latch-bolt and notch separably connecting said levers.

8. In a can closing machine. in combination: a. seaming head; a bottom plunger cooperating therewith; a can centering device interposed between the said seaming head and bottom plunger; a can end track lead ing to said centering device: can end feed mechanism arranged to deliver can ends along said track to said centering device; and a frictional yieldable latch for actuating said can end feed mechanism, comprising two levers connected respectively with the power mechanism and with the can end feed mechanism, and a friction spring-actuated latch-bolt and notch separably connecting said levers.

9. In a can closing machine, in combination; a seaming head; a bottom plunger cooperating therewith; a can centering devlce interposed betweenthesaid seamin I head and bottom-plunger; a'can end trac lead,-

ing to said centerin mechanism arrange v 10.- Ina can closing machine, in

device; can end feed to deliver ca n ends alongsaid track to said centering device; and a frictional yieldable latch for 'actuata friction, s ring-actuated, latch-bolt and automatically acting means for has been forced out of its notch.

v combmation: a can endfeeding mechanism comprism a ivoted lever ien'gage'able with said slide; a ori'zontally movable lever in which is *mountedthe pivotof the slide-engaging lever'and formed of two parts; a yiel ing friction- 'COIIDOCtlOIl uniting the said two parts of theleve'r; means foractu'ating said horizontally 1 movable "lever and can controlled means for moving 'the slide-en- 1 ----H.gaging lever vertically. 25,,

tion: ,a cani' end. feeding mechanism comprising a slide; a transverse verticallymov able pivoted. lever .engageable with said slide; a horizontally. movable lever in'which is mountedfl the pivot of the slide-engaging .lever and'formed'of-twofparts; a friction l Q spring movable'lever; and can controlled means for movin the slide-engaging lever vertically.

12., n a can closing-.machine adapted tounite can ends to can bodies by an nter:

" folded seam or jointcomprising a, seam-. a ong which cans are moved to an assembling station; a separate ing head, .a track trackmong which can ends are jmovedto operating the fee mechanism whereby slide atransverse verticall movable to enter said stack slide a frictional yieldable latch connectfor actuating said lever.

11. 111; a can closing machine. in combina a'ctuat'ed; latch-bolt and notch sepa- I rably'. connecting the said two parts of. the

v lever: means for actuatin'glsaid. horizontally Y atinglthe slide and anism for resetting said controlling member-to a ain moved a on station; an

intercept the cans as they are said track to said assembl ng a member at said. assembling station for recelvin can ends as fed and for rounding up and a lmng can bodies as they a are assembled with can ends preparatory to unitmg'the said ends to the sai bodies by an interfolded joint'or seam.

13. Ina can closing machine, 'in'combination: a seaming head; a can end feedlng track leading to a point under said seaming head;' a slide in said track; a two-part lever for actuating said slide; a can end stack; a

laterally operating separating knife adapted and operated by said ing t e two parts of said lever; and means I L-In a'can closing machine, in combinationzia seaming head; a can end feeding track leadin to a point under said seaming head; a fthree part' lever for yieldingly actuating. said slide; said lever comprislng a'horizontally oscillating member, a vertically oscil- Plating slide-actuating member pivoted thereon, and a horizontally oscillating latch arm member adapted to yieldably engage said i-horizontally oscillating member; and

[meansfor normally actuating the three parts of the said lever in unison.

1.5. Ina can 'closin machine, in combination: a'canend gui ing track; a slide for propelling thecan ends; a lever having a actuating said lever comprising a yiel'dable wer-transmitting latch; a second .lever which controls the engagement of said first leverwith the slide; and means whereby a can to be closed actuates said 'second'lever.

16. In a can closing machine, in combination:- a seaming .head;" a can end feeding 'trackleading'to a point under said seaming signature hereto.

PAUL'W. FLEISOHER.

sli e reciprocable in said track; a

separable engagement therewithjmeans for a 

